Der Freischntz holds a crucial place in history, setting the course of German Romantic opera. Nikolaus Harnoncourt's typically probing approach produced an interpretation that, in the words of the distinguished critic Alan Blyth, "has the ring of reality about it, uncovering the troubled psyche and element of superstition in this extraordinary piece. [He] has assembled a cast that equals or surpasses that on just about every other version of the work... The recording is exemplary."